The M1 offered through the CMP aren’t free, but I believe the price is substantially below market for what Garands are going for these days. In order to qualify to order one, I believe you must both (1) be a member of a qualifying club or organization and (2) participate in at least one qualifying rifle-shooting competition. If you do both, you can send in an order form.

They've loosened the competition requirement considerably. They just need proof that you know how to shoot either through a competition, instruction class like something from the Appleseed Project or a concealed weapons permit where shooting is required. You can also order with a C&R FFL license.

I have one on order but they were closed for 2 weeks at the end of December and came back to process a few thousand orders.

In regard to the fate of the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show: Good. I think that would make a good example for letters and phone calls to our Congress Critters. Dear politicians: the decision of the organizers of that show to exclude MSRs led to such a tremendous backlash and boycott—with literally hundreds of exhibitors pulling out—that the entire show was functionally canceled. How would you like that level of passion being directed against you in your next reelection effort? You can count on it if you vote for bans or restrictions.

I finally managed to get the text of Feinstein’s bill. It’s provisions have been mostly discussed in the media already, for example, a one-characteristic test for evil “assault weapon” status and a ban on magazines over 10 rounds. There are a couple more provisions that give me pause. First, a “large capacity ammunition feeding device” includes “a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device, including any such device joined or coupled with another in any manner, that has an overall capacity of, or that can be readily restored, changed, or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition.” That means that if you use duct tape to tape together two 10-round magazines, you’ve created an illegal magazine. Second, the definition for “pistol grip” has been expanded to the point where it could theoretically ban every gun in existence: “The term ‘pistol grip’ means a grip, a thumb-hole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.” If anything that can function as a grip is a pistol grip, then it appears to me that any gun that includes some means to actually hold onto the damn thing must have a pistol grip (and therefore be an assault weapon).

2 of my coworkers had Elks they shot in Wyoming on a private ranch mounted, and the company was bringing them to the ESOS to save him hundreds on shipping. Now theyre not sure how they're going to get their elk

That sucks for them, but my guess would be “pay hundreds for shipping.” Or pay a few hundred bucks on gas and take a nice drive (they’d probably need a truck or van or something similarly large). Google says around 25 hours each way.

Shyster wrote:In regard to the fate of the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show: Good. I think that would make a good example for letters and phone calls to our Congress Critters. Dear politicians: the decision of the organizers of that show to exclude MSRs led to such a tremendous backlash and boycott—with literally hundreds of exhibitors pulling out—that the entire show was functionally canceled. How would you like that level of passion being directed against you in your next reelection effort? You can count on it if you vote for bans or restrictions.

Honestly, it's nothing more than a storm in a teacup. It reminds me of the backlash against the editor of Recoil magazine over the summer for his comments about the H&K MP7. Instead of using it as an opportunity to engage in a discussion about the practical applications of the 2A, it became "ERMAHGERD! DOWN WITH ALL WHO DON'T PARROT THE COMPANY LINE ON GUNS!!" which only serves to underscore the general public perception of gun lovers as, well, frothy-mouthed idiots.

Shyster wrote:In regard to the fate of the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show: Good. I think that would make a good example for letters and phone calls to our Congress Critters. Dear politicians: the decision of the organizers of that show to exclude MSRs led to such a tremendous backlash and boycott—with literally hundreds of exhibitors pulling out—that the entire show was functionally canceled. How would you like that level of passion being directed against you in your next reelection effort? You can count on it if you vote for bans or restrictions.

Honestly, it's nothing more than a storm in a teacup. It reminds me of the backlash against the editor of Recoil magazine over the summer for his comments about the H&K MP7. Instead of using it as an opportunity to engage in a discussion about the practical applications of the 2A, it became "ERMAHGERD! DOWN WITH ALL WHO DON'T PARROT THE COMPANY LINE ON GUNS!!" which only serves to underscore the general public perception of gun lovers as, well, frothy-mouthed idiots.

I was talking specifically of using that as an example for correspondence to elected officials, not anyone else. I’m particularly thinking of Senator Casey, who has already indicated a willingness to throw his NRA “A” rating out the window and support new gun control (although I believe he has been back-tracking somewhat in recent weeks). Apathetic and uninterested voters tend to overwhelmingly re-elect the incumbent. Ticked-off voters are much more like to throw incumbents out of office. I do not think it would harm to point out to someone like Casey that voting for gun control would result in many, many constituents who would be passionately angry at him.

Also, this would be a good time to contact your state representatives, too. I’m subscribed to a mailing list that sends out a daily digest of actions in the PA General Assembly, and we’re starting to see new anti-gun bills from the usual suspects (like Rep. Dan Frankel). For example, House Bill 335 would deny concealed-carry licenses and reject firearm purchases for anyone who has ever “received mental health treatment on an inpatient or outpatient basis.” So if you’ve ever talked to your doctor about mental-health issues, been prescribed anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication, or been to even a single therapy session, you would be denied the ability to buy new guns or get a concealed-carry permit.

As a more palatable topic of discussion than politics, does anyone own a gun that would be classified as weird or unusual? For example, I recently ran across the pistols made by Boberg Arms Corporation (http://www.bobergarms.com). They make compact pistols where the action pulls each cartridge backwards from the magazine and then feeds it directly into the chamber. The result is something akin to a bullpup pistol:

I have a tremendous desire to own one of these. Anyone here got something that would make the other guys at the range ask: “What the heck is that?” I must admit that I don’t really have anything that would meet that criteria. Anyone else have a hankering for something obscure or unusual?

Shyster wrote:I have a tremendous desire to own one of these. Anyone here got something that would make the other guys at the range ask: “What the heck is that?” I must admit that I don’t really have anything that would meet that criteria. Anyone else have a hankering for something obscure or unusual?

If you also now have a tremendous desire to own one, either: (1) you're welcome; or (2) I'm sorry (as may be appropriate).

The same person who posted that shooting video also posted a review video. Apparently, you have to make sure the 9mm ammo you use is solidly crimped, as otherwise the backwards yank that’s part of the loading sequence can actually pull the case away and leave the bullet behind in much the same way heavy recoil in a revolver can cause the bullets in other chambers to work forward and bind up the action.

The closest thing to "cool" i've ever shot was a Mosin Nagant that was my buddy's. Bayonet on the front, can shoot grenades. The bolt on it was sooooo smooth, and the trigger, well, you could sneeze on it and it would go off.

I've been checking local Walmarts for ammo the last few weeks with little to no luck. Some random .40 and .45 tulammo, .38 spl and some .308. Never any 9mm, .223 and especially no .22Lr

So what did I see this morning? Someone put box boxes of ammo where the .22LR bulk goes. Turns out it was bulk boxes of Winchester .22LR. They got a case of it in. Grabbed the three box max they were allowing and called my wife to get down there ASAP. This was at 7:30. One of my friends also went in at 7:30 after I told him, he was back there later around 11:30 and it was all gone.

DelPen wrote:I've been checking local Walmarts for ammo the last few weeks with little to no luck. Some random .40 and .45 tulammo, .38 spl and some .308. Never any 9mm, .223 and especially no .22Lr

So what did I see this morning? Someone put box boxes of ammo where the .22LR bulk goes. Turns out it was bulk boxes of Winchester .22LR. They got a case of it in. Grabbed the three box max they were allowing and called my wife to get down there ASAP. This was at 7:30. One of my friends also went in at 7:30 after I told him, he was back there later around 11:30 and it was all gone.

So I found my grandfather's old single shot 22 in the attic. I'm curious of its safe to shoot. It has what looks kind of like a lever action on it, but when you move the lever you just slide a single shell into the hole in the end of the barrel and then cock it to put the firing pin on the shell, then shoot. Any dangers to this? Gun hasn't been shot in at least 25 years, he died in 91 and was sick prior.

If I was in this room I would have given the mayor a standing ovation.

Interestingly, that Councilman is an Army (airborne) veteran and from what little I can find about him on the Interwebs appears to be a Republican as well.

But I see your lunacy and raise you a Bloomberg:

I don't understand why the police officers across this country don't stand up collectively and say, we're going to go on strike. We're not going to protect you. Unless you, the public, through your legislature, do what's required to keep us safe.

After all, police officers want to go home to their families. And we're doing everything we can to make their job more difficult but, more importantly, more dangerous, by leaving guns in the hands of people who shouldn't have them, and letting people who have those guns buy things like armor-piercing bullets.

mac5155 wrote:So I found my grandfather's old single shot 22 in the attic. I'm curious of its safe to shoot. It has what looks kind of like a lever action on it, but when you move the lever you just slide a single shell into the hole in the end of the barrel and then cock it to put the firing pin on the shell, then shoot. Any dangers to this? Gun hasn't been shot in at least 25 years, he died in 91 and was sick prior.

Sounds like a falling-block action. Does the rifle have any markings as to make or model?

mac5155 wrote:So I found my grandfather's old single shot 22 in the attic. I'm curious of its safe to shoot. It has what looks kind of like a lever action on it, but when you move the lever you just slide a single shell into the hole in the end of the barrel and then cock it to put the firing pin on the shell, then shoot. Any dangers to this? Gun hasn't been shot in at least 25 years, he died in 91 and was sick prior.

Sounds like a falling-block action. Does the rifle have any markings as to make or model?

It did but I can't remember. I'll have to look later. I also found it with 2 double barrel 20 gauge shotguns. I knew he had them, but thought they were in my uncle's safe.